Gearbox/ clutch advice

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Caellim
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Registered for: 7 years 9 months
Location: Johannesburg

Gearbox/ clutch advice

Post by Caellim »

Hi Guys

Happy new year to all of you.
I am in a bit of a jam here and need your advise please.

Car Polo Playa 2001, 2.0lt 16v Turbo using ffz gearbox and running 0.9 bar boost. Car is amazing to drive, very responsive and remarkably powerful. My issue now is the clutch. I have a 4 button clutch, double diaphragm pressure plate from norbrake. I will soon need to change clutch and pressure plate, done about 5000kms. Options I’ve heard so far is go for a golf 4 cable shift gearbox, vr6 button clutch and will be good to go. Other guys say stay with the ffz box and just change the clutch and pressure plate. I have already broken my first gearbox and bought one of Oom Poys ffz gearbox. Gearbox is good just need to change releaser bearing or straight cut gears and lsd. I hate the noise of straight cut gears.


What I want is a reliable gearbox setup that will hold the power and get to a top speed of at the least 250km/h.

Question: should I just replace clutch, pressure plate, flywheel and releaser bearing but then have to worry about breaking diff and gears
Or
Do the cable shift conversion.

Do you guys have any better options for me or which route I should go?

Fix current box: +- R4000 incl labour.
Cable shift: +- R12500 incl labour.
I don’t really want to fork out 12k for a box now nor do I want to go through this ffz repair/ replacement in another 5000kms.

Did not dyno the car at 0.9 bar yet but previous dyno at 0.5 gave me 179kw and 267nm. The car should be around 210/220kw and around 300nm but that’s just my guess.

Please guys, which will be the best most worthwhile route to take?


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panic-mechanic
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Re: Gearbox/ clutch advice

Post by panic-mechanic »

Many years ago I had a mk2 that ran on a very similar setup. The box was a VERY long ratio mix and match affair so harder on clutches than the FFZ you are running.
It made around 250 kw and + for around 4 years.
In that time I broke 1 x diff and one 5th gear.
I had the clutch buttons replaced once. Distance driven was around 90k km.
The clutch was built on a spring centre inner and the same 4 pucks and double diapraghm pressure plate.
There is only one thing that breaks that setup on a regular basis and that is the driver.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
Caellim
Cadet
Posts: 75
Registered for: 7 years 9 months
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Gearbox/ clutch advice

Post by Caellim »

Hi Panic, I guess u are right. If it lasted you that long then maybe I should just replace clutch and change my driving habits. The thing is I like holding the accelerator 1/2-3/4 whilst the turbo spools in 4th or 5th and then floor it.


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PapaJo
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Re: Gearbox/ clutch advice

Post by PapaJo »

That setup, you have is solid enough and works as Panic stated. It’s the driver that breaks it. Holding 1/2 to 3/4 throttle in 4th and 5th is looking for trouble and it will break. The 4th gear is the point where it will most likely break. Redo the buttons and keep your setup.

If you after chasing 250km/h, a longer ratio box is the answer. Remember suspension and brake uogrades too and wheels that can handle that speed.
Last edited by PapaJo on Thu Jan 25, 2018 4:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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panic-mechanic
Panic's Place
Posts: 26715
Registered for: 21 years 7 months
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Location: Benoni, putfontein.

Re: Gearbox/ clutch advice

Post by panic-mechanic »

That is the best way to break the box and put huge amounts of strain on the entire drve train. It really is a very shitty habit even if the box can take it.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
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